Here is a quick rule of thumb about which means to use for extracting what sort of information from EAM:
- Show filtered data from one table -> Use dataspies (dataspies can be personal, linked to a user group or global)
- Share filtered lists -> Share the EAM Light URL after having selected the dataspy or after having entered filtering conditions (as it contains the filtering conditions)
- Show data from two or three tables if records can be easily linked (by a join in the query) -> Use custom grids
- Show data with conditions that cannot be represented by simple joins -> Use a database view and make it available via a custom grid
- Aggregate data with complex conditions, aggregate data on a time axis, aggregate data that requires data transformation -> Use Pentaho reports
- Display data graphically or with a special report layout -> Use Pentaho reports
In all cases the interface provides an option to extract the data to a spreadsheet format.